ERB: The Exhaustive Scholarís and Collectorís
Descriptive BibliographyDial 1-800-253-2187 to order a copy from McFarland
for $46.50

Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle ProjectFeaturing Tarzan Jr.

Colleen Moore's position as one of the most popular actresses
in Hollywood gave her the resources to produce a "Fairy Castle" of fantastic
proportions. Beginning in 1926, Moore enlisted the help of many talented
professionals to help her realize her vision. In 1937 she asked ERB for
a few words from a Tarzan book and an autograph to add to her miniature
Fairy Castle Collection at The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
What was returned to her was an original fable featuring a princess and
Tarzan, Jr. written by ERB and illustrated by ERB and John Coleman Burroughs.
The unusual thing about this story is that it was printed, by hand, in
a one-of-a-kind, one inch by one inch, miniature book.

The library is done in a sea motif. Over the fireplace stands Captain
Kidd with his treasure behind him. The door to the right shows Robinson
Crusoe and his man Friday. Above the other door is Gulliver, pulling the
Lilliputian ships through the gates of the city. The furniture has a sea
motif and is verdigris copper. Seahorses and seasnails hold the shell-like
furniture. This furniture is made for fairy folk who like to read in different
positions. That chair turned up in front is made for a little elf who likes
to read with his feet in the air.

The books are all real. There are over 100 and many hand written by
some of our most prominent modern authors. These are first and only editions.
On the reading stand is a dictionary. This was given to me by my father
when I was only 5 years old, and this is what started my whole collection.
There are many other printed books in the library, many of them over 150
years old.

Colleen Moore was always fascinated by dolls
and doll houses. She owned several elaborate doll houses as a child, but
later in life her father, Charles Morrison, suggested that she should pursue
her passion for miniatures and doll houses by creating the "doll house"
of her dreams. Her position as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood
gave her the resources to produce a "Fairy Castle" of fantastic proportions.
Begining in 1928, Moore enlisted the help of many talented professionals
to help her realize her vision. Horace Jackson was an architect and set
designer who worked for First National Studios. Jackson created the floor
plan and layout of the castle with this basic idea, "The architecture must
have no sense of reality. We must invent a structure that is everybody's
conception of an enchanted castle." Moore also enlisted the help of art
director and interior designer Harold Grieve. Grieve had designed the interiors
for Moore's real-life mansion, so he was a natural to create the interiors
of her fantasy castle. By 1935 over 700 individuals had lent their expertise
including surgical instrument lighting specialists, Beverly Hills jewelers
and Chinese jade craftsmen. The price tag for this 8'7" x 8'2" x 7'7" foot
palace containing over 2000 miniatures was nearly $500,000.